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Libby Dam, Montana

Come Celebrate with Us!

Celebrate Libby Dam's 50th Commemoration with us 

Join us Saturday August 23, 2025.

Click the logo or here to R.S.V.P.

Our Volunteers and Interns: 50 Years of Service

THANK YOU to our volunteers and interns who help us deliver safe public access to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' lands and waters in a way that protects our project purposes and mission areas, through responsible outdoor recreation, environmental conservation and land use management, while partnering with our local communities, to serve the American people.

We invite all volunteers, former and current, to share their stories with us. Your story can be in a write-up (MS. Word document), photos and/or videos. Send to: Susan.J.James@usace.army.mil

Libby Dam Community

Libby Dam Legacy: Ode to the Past

Libby Dam History

Libby Dam in northwest Montana was constructed in response to annual spring flooding events cascading down from the Rocky Mountains that caused death and destruction to communities in the US and Canada located along the length of the Kootenai and Columbia River watersheds.     

With Department of Defense contractors, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction in 1966 and the dam was dedicated Aug. 24, 1975. 

Employing over 2,000 workers at the peak of construction, the Army Corps built three new schools, additions to existing schools and the Libby Airport. The Army Corps also moved the town of Rexford to higher ground, relocated Highway 37 and the Great Northern Railroad Line which includes a 7-mile long tunnel through Elk Mountain that trains still use today. 

A forest development road was built on the west side of the reservoir, and the Koocanusa Bridge - Montana’s longest and highest bridge - was built to provide access across the reservoir. 

There are many stories still being told by the families of the people who built the dam, and people whose lives were changed by the construction of this massive dam.

Click on the links below to learn more about the railroad tunnel USACE built during the construction of Libby Dam.

Railway Tunnel Libby Dam on JSTOR

 
 
 

Libby Dam 1975-2025

Soaring 422 feet tall, Libby Dam holds back the waters of the Kootenai River to form the 90-mile-long Lake Koocanusa reservoir, 42 miles of which are is in Canada.  Libby Dam maintains a delicate, daily balancing act between providing protection from floods, producing hydroelectric power, and managing natural and cultural resources and recreation, while contributing to irrigation and navigation operations downstream.   

Visit the Libby Dam Visitor Center between June, July, August and part of September, and learn more about Libby Dam’s history, current operations and future plans or visit Libby Dam’s public webpage: https://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Locks-and-Dams/Libby-Dam/

Libby Dam Visitor Center is located approximately 17 miles north of Libby, MT.

Physical Address: 260 Souse Gulch Road, Libby, MT 59923. 

Download maps beforehand, there is no cell phone reception once you leave Libby. Drive time from Libby is about 30 min. 

Access to the Visitor Center is on the west side of the top of the dam by way of Montana Highway 37 and Forest Development Road 228. There is no automotive access across the top of the dam.  Access from the east side of the dam is by way of Jennings Drive and the David Thompson Bridge immediately below the dam. Allow extra time for discovery and to enjoy the viewpoints and watchable wildlife areas around the dam.

Recreational opportunities at Libby Dam and on the nearby Kootenai National Forest include: camping, hunting, disc golf, hiking, fishing, boating, picnicking, touring the dam, wildlife watching and more.

For more information on summer hours of operation and summer tour schedule, please contact the Libby Dam Visitor Center at 406-293-5577. 

 

50th Commemoration August 23, 2025

Look out for special summer 2025 events commemorating Libby Dam’s dedication of in 1975.

Meet Phil Cole: Libby Dam's First Resident Engineer

 
 
Photo of Libby Dam's first Resident Engineer Phil Cole. 

 

Excerpt of an article written by Ray Aarstad on Phil Cole: 

"Mr. Cole’s job entailed more than overseeing every facet of the construction of the multiple projects that were going on, although the bulk of his time was dedicated solely to that purpose. A portion of that time, however, was set aside to keep the public aware of what was going on in regards to construction on the dam and the impact on the community. Involvement in the Chamber of Commerce and the Libby Rotary Club were important because they gave him a venue in which to keep local community leaders and businessmen abreast of Corps activities. This was something that he did on his own initiative to keep community awareness at a high level. At these meetings he could discuss projected employment for the coming year and alert community leaders to what steps they needed to take to adjust to the influx of workers and their families. One subject that was reoccurring was the impact on the public school system. Money and buildings were needed to accommodate the rapidly expanding student body and by alerting community leaders ahead of time, the call could be sent out to bring in more teachers, secretaries, librarians and aids as needed.
 

Photo (below) taken July 25, 1969, celebrating One Millionth Cubic Yard of Concrete poured at Libby Dam. Resident Engineer Phil Cole is second from left. 

These duties were in addition to the more traditional ones that the project construction dictated. Each contractor had a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers group that worked with him on a particular contract. These individuals insured that the contractor adhered to payment and labor practices that were in step with Corps policy. Likewise, each contractor had a limited period of time in which to complete the project they were working on. If extensions were necessary due to extenuating circumstances they could be granted but that was rarely the case. There were approximately one hundred and thirty four contracts that related to the construction of Libby Dam and its co-projects, each involving thousands of man-hours to be completed, inspected and approved.
 
The resident engineer for a project of this magnitude was hand picked by the district. He had to be a man who could handle the daily problems that are endemic to dam building and since all dams are different there was no handbook to be consulted to solve the problems he would face. Also, an individual chosen for this duty had to be a person who could manage the broad range of responsibilities that went along with the job; part public relations, part dictator, part benevolent father figure, the resident engineer’s power and use of it made him an omnipotent figure during the construction phase. Chosen for this position of immense responsibility was Mr. Phil Cole, a quiet spoken man whose acumen as an engineer was matched by his savvy for handling people. He was without doubt the right man for the job.
 
Mr. Cole arrived in Libby in December 1965 and his first impression was not favorable. The tiny U.S. Forest Service airstrip was considered unserviceable so travel to and from Seattle was via passenger train on the Great Northern. Three years later the problem of a serviceable airstrip was solved when construction was completed on a new airport. Mr. Cole’s staff consisted of himself and three other Corps employees and at the same time he faced community residents who were suspicious of the project and those who welcomed it with open arms. Undaunted, he went to work rising sometimes at night to go to the project site to check on progress. His work ethic was straightforward and simple; he went to work and worked until there wasn’t anything left to do. This dedication made for long days and short nights on a project that would take years to complete.”
 
Photo of Mildred Cole and Karen Cormier, wife and daughter of Phil Cole, resident engineer at Libby Dam during its construction. Part of Phil's duties involved keeping community groups updated on the project. Mildred and Karen donated a 24-inch model of a bark canoe the Creston Board of Trade
presented to Phil, in 1958.

Taking Care of Business: Now and Into The Future

Current Projects 

Libby Dam has had five generating units since 1985, but did you know that its powerhouse was originally designed for eight generators?

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a contract to install a sixth unit, which will add flexibility to plant operations and improve the dam's overall electrical reliability.

Future Projects 

The intake crane located on the dam's deck, is scheduled for replacement.  A new crane that can lift heavier loads is scheduled to be built in 2025.  The new crane will feature aesthetic design features similar to the Libby's original design concept, to stay true to its original architectural vision.   

Transformers are robust machines with very few moving parts. That said, even transformers need a little "TLC" every now and then. Generator Step-Up Transformer #1 is scheduled for a rehab in 2025.  The rehabilitation will update protection devices and bushings as well as replace valves and gaskets. 

Our GSU transformers are located between the powerhouse and the dam and can be seen easily from above.  Take a look while on a tour or from home using your favorite map website. GSU #1 is one of four GSU transformers at Libby Dam and is the one closest to the visitor center or furthest to the west.   

Logo Contest Entries

Be part of our Libby Dam 50th Commemoration Story

Do you or your family member have photos and/or stories about Libby Dam you'd like to share?
 
Email them (MS Word documents, JPEG images and PDFs) to Susan.J.James@usace.army.mil
 
 

 

50th Commemoration Logo

 
Libby Dam 50th Commemoration Logo Contest Winner
Thanks to everyone who submitted logo entries. 
 

We're thrilled to select Adrian Volz and his entry as the logo contest winner. 

Adrian is a graduate of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where he received his bachelor’s degree in Communications Design with a focus on Graphic Design. Art, architecture and design have always been an integral part of his life.

Adrian concentrates on modern corporate identity, poster and information design solutions. He has assisted a range of clients and his work has been recognized by Graphis, US Modernist, HOW Design Magazine and Prattfolio, to name a few.

Most recently, Adrian launched an independent newspaper, "Archiprint," which has been carried at five independent bookstores in the United States.

Adrian's connection to the military crosses generations. His father worked on the VA Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and his grandfather was a U.S. Air Force captain who served in WWII alongside USACE in the South Pacific (The Black Rams).

His logo will be showcased on our 50th Commemoration event program, official public website, social media and other products.

 

Check out our Logo Contest photo gallery of entries from our students!

 

 

Water Safety